Chicken & Barley-Squash Pilaf

It's nice to find your niche in cooking, and for the most part I had found mine over the years in earthy flavors, rich sauces, gravies and plenty of carb combos. With this new diabetes oriented menu that eliminates most carbs and sugars, though, I decided it was time to expand my horizons. To that end, I dove into my Better Homes & Gardens 150 Chicken Dinners and found this relatively labor-intensive, yet very fun, dish (slightly modified). In a word? 

A M A Z I N G !

Don't be alarmed by the number of ingredients... I promise it will all make sense as we get into the preparation :-)

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 3 tbsp chopped shallot
• 1 1/2 cups lo-salt chicken broth
• 1 cup (heaped) 3/4" butternut squash cubes
• 1/2 cup quick cooking barley
• 1 medium red apple, chopped with skin on
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp ground turmeric
• 1/8 to 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 3-4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (~1 lb)
• 1/4 cup roasted, salted pumpkin seeds (shelled)
• 1/4 cup chutney (mango works)
• 1/4 cup plain fat-free yogurt
• Snipped fresh parsley leaves

Preparation:

1: The Pumpkin Seeds

There's a real good chance you won't find these already shelled, roasted and salted, but as long as you can round up some shelled seeds, we're good. Lightly coat a 7-9" skillet with cooking spray. Heat over medium heat and add the shelled seeds. Give the seeds another spritz of cooking spray. Toss frequently and add salt until you hear the seeds crackle and they look toasted. Remove from pan and set aside for later.

2: The Dip

Combine the chutney and yogurt in a small bowl and mix thoroughly. Refrigerate until it's time to serve the meal.

3: The Rub

In a small bowl, combine the coriander, cumin, salt, turmeric and cayenne pepper. Mix these dry goods thoroughly until you have an even color throughout. Coat/rub chicken on all sides and then spray lightly with cooking spray.

Set aside while starting the pilaf.

4: The Pilaf

First order of business is to peel, cut and cube the squash. Be careful here as knives can get hung up in squash. For a quick tutorial on squash prep, take a look on Simply Recipes.

In a medium saucepan heat the oil over medium heat. Add the shallot; cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add broth, squash and barley. Bring to a boil and reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for 10-12 minutes or just until the squash and barley are tender, stirring once or twice. Next, stir in the chopped apple and cook for 3-4 more minutes, covered, until apple is just tender. Remove mix from heat.

5:The Chicken

Spray a large covered skillet with cooking spray. Heat over medium heat. Place chicken in pan and cook for 12 minutes, covered, turning only once. Be sure chicken is no longer pink (170 degrees F). Remove from pan.

6: Final Assembly

Slice the chicken breasts across the grain into 1/4" slices.

Divide the pilaf among dinner plates and place sliced chicken on top. Add roasted pumpkin seeds and snipped parsley leaves. Serve chilled dip on the side. Be prepared to hear delightful moaning around the table... :-)  This one is a winner in my book!

Blessed be... and happy cooking!

Creamy Asian Dressing

This dressing was originally created for my Asian Coleslaw, but it works really well on salads or even warm vegetables, too. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 6 tablespoons rice wine vinegar

• 6 tablespoons vegetable oil

• 5 tablespoons creamy peanut butter

• 3 tablespoons soy sauce

• 3 tablespoons brown sugar

• 2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger root

• 1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic

Preparation:

Add all ingredients to a bowl and whisk until fully blended. Serve over tossed salads or vegetables. 

Blessed be… and happy cooking!

Reverse Engineered Montreal Steak Chicken... Soup

The original version of this chicken dish was not a soup at all and ended up way too spicy, having been modeled after a beef/venison version which is still available by clicking HERE. It has since been modified to tone down the heat and works quite well, allowing the chicken tender strips to shine instead of being overpowered by the heat of the seasoning. This soup version came about when warming up the leftovers. In an effort to mitigate the overwhelming power of the Montreal Steak seasoning, I mixed everything together and covered the blend with chicken broth before re-heating.

Sometimes I just get lucky. This soup made this foodie do a double-take so hard that I immediately decided it needed to be its own creation. The name says it all... Reverse Engineered! It's not a normal way of making soup... I know... but damn... it's so good I won't even try to change it to a more conventional soup process. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 1 lb chicken tenders cut into bite size strips
• 1 tbsp McCormick's Montreal Steak Seasoning
• 1 cup pearl barley (substitute low sodium chicken broth for water)
• 1 large yellow onion - cut up
• 6 baby portobello mushrooms - sliced
• 2 cups broccoli florets cut into small florets
• salt to taste
• olive oil

Preparation:

Start off by thoroughly rinsing the barley and then cooking it according to package instructions - this usually takes about 45 minutes on a low boil. Use chicken low sodium chicken broth instead of water for more flavor. While the barley is cooking we'll get everything else ready.

Next cut up the meat into bite size strips and toss with the Montreal Steak Seasoning.

Cut up the onion, mushrooms and broccoli florets and heat some olive oil in a non-stick Dutch oven. Have everything ready and start when the barley is just about done as the actual cook is a pretty quick process.

Sautee the onions first. As their edges just start to brown, add the mushrooms. Once the mushrooms are tender (~1 min) add the broccoli and sautee until cooked but still crunchy (~1 min). Scoop out mixture and set aside, covered.

Add a splash of oil to the Dutch oven and sear the meat with a high flame and a continuous toss. With the pieces being relatively small be sure you get a nice color without overcooking.

Finally add the onion, mushroom & broccoli mix and toss over low heat. Once blended add the cooked barley and carefully mix it all together. Cover everything in chicken broth. The exact amount of broth is currently up to you as I've only done leftovers, so fill your pot until it... looks right! Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally... serve and enjoy!!

Serves 4+

Blessed be... and happy cooking!

Greek Bean and Vegetable Soup

 Credit for this adapted dish goes to the ADA's Diabetes Food Hub.

Visit them for many more diabetic friendly recipes.

Known in Greece as Fassoulada, this hearty, thick soup is a popular dish in that country. Navy beans, onion, tomatoes, and garlic are the essential basics of this soup. This diabetic friendly version adds zucchini and spinach, and the result is simply divine. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 1 cup yellow onion - chopped

• 2 cups thin zucchini - sliced on mandolin for uniformity 

• 1/2 cup celery - sliced

• 2 cloves garlic - minced

• 1 cup vegetable stock

• 1 cup water

• 1 can (15 oz) navy beans - rinsed and drained

• 1 cup canned whole tomatoes - coarsely cut up in a bowl

• 4 cups ready-to-eat spinach

• 1/2 tsp dried thyme

• 1/2 tsp kosher salt

• 1/2 tsp black pepper

• 1 oz feta cheese - reduced-fat, crumbled, about 3 tbsp

• 2 tbsp pistachios - shelled, no-salt-added, dry-roasted, coarsely chopped

• 2 slice whole grain artisan bread - I use sprouted grains bread - toasted and cut in half on a diagonal

Preparation:

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion, zucchini, celery, and garlic. Cook 2 to 3 minutes, until vegetables soften a bit.

Add vegetable stock, water, beans, and tomatoes. Bring soup to a simmer and cook 5 minutes.

Add the spinach and thyme. Cook about 1 minute, until the spinach wilts. Add the black pepper and salt.

Ladle the soup into 2 bowls and sprinkle with the feta cheese and pistachio nuts. Serve bread on the side.

 Blessed be... and happy cooking!

Bean Sprout Stir Fry

I must have looked over 50 or so recipes for bean sprout stir fry on the Net. In the end I decided to create my very own, making sure the composition was going to satisfy my need for diabetic friendly ingredients and provide great flavor as well. Serve this as a side to my Soy Sauce Salmon and you're in for a culinary delight with many flavor levels. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 12 oz mung bean sprouts
• 2 stalks green onion (scallion)
• 1/2 cup red bell pepper - minced
• 3 tbsp avocado oil
• 1 tbsp chopped garlic
• 2 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp agave syrup
• 2-3 grinds from black pepper mill

Preparation:

Place bean sprouts in a colander and rinse/drain well. 

Chop the garlic, mince the red pepper and cut the scallions two ways. The white stem should bet cut to small disks, and the green tops can be cut at an angle so the look pretty.

Mix together sesame oil, light soy sauce, agave, salt & pepper and set aside.

Heat the oil in a wok, or as I like to use, a large non-stick Dutch oven. Saute the garlic and white from scallions over medium/low heat until fragrant. Do not let these items brown.

Next add the sprouts and red pepper. Turn to medium high and toss/cook for about a minute. Finally add the sauce and the green scallion cuts. Toss to heat through  and enjoy!

Blessed be... and happy cooking!

Soy Sauce Salmon

 Adapted from a recipe found on Cooking-Therapy.com

I had been toying with the idea of a dish combining soy sauce and salmon for some time... The original recipe's sauce really appealed to me but needed some diabetic tweaking. The end result is quite possibly the best salmon I have ever cooked. Combined with my own concoction of a bean sprout stir fry this dish turned out to be a top notch addition to my recipe collection. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 12 oz salmon cut into 2 inch squares
• Salt & pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup avocado oil (or pure vegetable oil in a pinch)

Sauce:

• 1/3 cup white onion - minced
• 2 - 3 cloves garlic - minced
• 2 tsp agave syrup
• 4 tsp soy sauce
• 4 tsp lemon juice

Preparation:

Season the salmon with salt and pepper.

Mix all sauce ingredients in a small bow so it’s ready to go .

Heat 1/4 cup oil over high heat in a skillet sized to fit the fish.

Add the salmon and fry for 2 minutes on each side until golden brown.

Remove salmon from the heat and set aside - covered

Add sauce mix to the pan and cook sauce for 1-2 minutes to reduce. 

When your reduction turns just slightly creamy, return the salmon to the pan and coat with sauce. 

Cover and let sit for a minute so fish heats through.

Serve with my Bean Sprout Stir Fry for a really lovely foodie experience. 

 Blessed be... and happy cooking!

Weekend Ramble: Foods With More Protein Than an Egg

Written by Jon Cooper
Medically Reviewed by Minesh Khatri, MD on April 24, 2022

1: Chickpeas

With about 6 grams of protein apiece, eggs are an excellent source of this vital nutrient. But lots of other foods offer as much or more. For example, chickpeas (also known as garbanzo beans) provide nearly 8 grams of protein per 1/2 cup. People have enjoyed them since the days of ancient Egypt. They're best known these days as the base for hummus. Toss a handful on a salad, or cook them into a hearty soup. 

2: Cottage Cheese

This nutritious source of protein, with nearly 12 grams in a half-cup, plays well with others. That's because it doesn't have a strong flavor on its own. Make a healthy snack by pairing cottage cheese with most any kind of fruit. Or use it as a protein-boosting secret ingredient in pancakes. Go with low-fat cottage cheese to keep it healthy.

3: Almond Butter

This creamy spread isn't as well-known as its peanutty cousin. But with 7 grams of protein in 2 tablespoons, it should be. With plenty of heart-healthy fats, it's a great  way to fuel up before a workout. You can even make it at home -- all you need is almonds and a blender. Spice it up with cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla extract, or curry powder if that's how you roll.

4: Cheddar Cheese

This zingy cheese is loaded with protein -- about 7 grams per ounce -- as well as other nutrients like calcium, zinc, phosphorus, and vitamins A and B12. But keep your portions small or choose a lower-fat version. The fats found in dairy foods aren’t the heart-healthy type. Cheese can be high in salt, too.

5: Lentils

A half-cup of these legumes gives you 8 grams of protein, about as much as you’d get from 1 ounce of lean steak. They come in lots of colors -- brown, green, black, yellow, red, and orange. They cook up faster than beans. And you don’t even need to soak them first. Try the brown ones in veggie burgers, the green ones in salads, and the red ones in a spicy curry. 

6: Pumpkin Seeds

Don’t toss these after you carve the jack-o’-lantern. (An easier route is to buy the already roasted type at the store.) An ounce of shelled ones has 8 1/2 grams of protein. They’re also a good source of zinc, iron, copper, magnesium, potassium, and selenium. Eat a handful with an apple for a filling snack. Or stir them into oatmeal, granola, or homemade bread dough.

7: Shrimp

You only need about 4 ounces of these shellfish to get more than 17 grams of protein. They’re also low in calories and fat and have little mercury. Shrimp cook quickly, too. But step away from the breaded, deep-fried variety. Instead, toss grilled shrimp into pasta with marinara sauce for a fast, protein-rich meal.

8: Quinoa

This whole grain (actually an edible seed) packs about 7 1/2 grams of protein per cup. It’s a good source of fiber, too. Naturally gluten-free, quinoa is as easy to prepare as rice. Because it tastes rather bland on its own, add it to salads or grain bowls. You can also eat it as a hot cereal, or even pop it like popcorn.

9: Jerky

Long known as a backpacking standby, jerky is dried, lean meat. One ounce can have up to 15 grams of protein. Many brands are high in salt, sugar, and additives like nitrate. But some new products are changing jerky’s reputation as junk food. You can find jerky made from turkey, salmon, and even elk and ostrich. Check the label for sodium, sugar, and chemicals. You can make your own as well.

10: Hemp Seeds

They won't get you high -- they're from a different type of cannabis plant than marijuana. But these nutty-tasting seeds (sometimes called hemp hearts) do pack a powerful jolt of protein. Three tablespoons give you 9 1/2 grams, along with lots of heart-healthy fats. They're tasty blended into smoothies. Try some hemp milk on your morning cereal.

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Have a great week, everyone, and thank you for your support!

Blessed be… and happy cooking!

                                                            Chef Michael R